1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for repairing fiberglass boat hulls, specifically to a method for replicating the surface textures on fiberglass boat hull surfaces.
2. Background Information
Many fiberglass boats have surface textures embossed on decks or other surfaces of the hull. These surface textures may have a variety of patterns and serve aesthetic and utilitarian functions. Some of the surface textures are designed to imitate an aesthetically appealing surface, such as wood grain or the like. Other surface textures are designed to provide a non-skid surface upon decks, hatch covers, or other boat surfaces.
Common damage sustained by fiberglass boats after a collision or other accident includes cracking and general crushing of the hull. Repair of damaged fiberglass entails reconstruction of the damaged segment of fiberglass. If the damaged section of the boat hull had a surface texture embossed upon it before the damage occurred, the repair process generally results in the elimination of the surface texture. An expensive boat that is structurally repaired, but aesthetically or functionally impaired, may be depreciated badly in value by the repair. It is therefore desirable to replicate the surface texture on the newly repaired section of fiberglass. Replication of this surface texture after repair renders the repair job more aesthetically pleasing, and preserves the non-skid characteristics of the original, unrepaired boat hull surface. Such an improved repair preserves the value of an expensive boat.
It is a current practice in the fiberglass boat repair industry to form a rigid surface mold conforming to the contour of the boat hull surface to be repaired and having a negative impression of the surface texture to be replicated formed thereon. This procedure has a number of drawbacks. Because a boat hull surface has a multitude of contours and compound curves, an individual surface mold must be made for each particular hull section to be repaired. Such a procedure is time-consuming and costly. Furthermore, because these prior art molds are rigid, gas entrapped in the fluid casting material is difficult to force out and may leave cavities or other defects in the repaired surface. The prior art surface repair processes using rigid molds are costly, time-consuming, and often produce less than adequate repairs.